Ship&#39;s hatch cover



June 2l, 1932. H. cocKS SHIPS HATCH COVER Filed Jan. 9, 1931 COC/GS Patentedl June 21, 1932 i `UNITI-:D STAT-Es vfrilrlNIf for-Fl may cocxs or cannula', wanna sms Huron co'vnn I Application mea January s, 1931, sei-m1 na'somoo.- and inl creat B1-namens# as, 1m.

relates to ships This'invention, which has for its object to provlde a hatch covers, rigid and con ding ex1st1ng Wooden covers. That is to sa the object'of the presentinvention is to provide a cover which will not readily split, twist, contract or expand, or become distorted, and which will be weathertight and make for increased seaworthiness andsafety of sea-going vessels, particularly in heavy weather. It is well known that existing wooden covers suffer as regards the above defects, more especially as to warping, breakage and splitting at the .weakest points, such as along the line of the hatchway bearing bars and recesses of the usual'lifting handles, or down the seams in the case of' a composite cover constituted by two or more sections united edge-to-edge, necessitating constant repairs and'renewals.

According to this invention, a hatch cover unit is constituted by a single timber section or plank, or a combination of timber sections or planks reinforced by `the introduction of suitably disposed reinforcing mediums. These reinforcing mediums may-consist of a metal plate or-plates or of metal of any suitable form or section or combination of plates and sections. 4

In the case of a hatch cover composed of a single timber section or plank,- the reinforcing metal pates or sections may be disposed -along the edges or ends.

In the case'of a hatch cover composed of more than one timber section or plank, the metal plates or sections may-be disposed between the joints ofthe several timber sections or planks andthe reinforcing along the outside edges or ends as previously men- Ntioned in the case of a single timber section any other suitable means. .5.0

or plank, may also be fitted or dispensed with as found mostdesirable.

The whole to be united by faem'ngs `suit' ably disposed. The fasteningslmay consist 0f bolts clenched over at their ends'or by screws or The timber-sections or lplanks may be siderably stronger cover whichv elimina-tes the defects atten fitted with nuts and washers, bolts' creosoted or treatedwith any suitable preservative preparation.

The reinforcing it'tedto the ends of the hatch cover may, if desired, consist of boxshaped -metal shoes so formed as .to completely enclose the ends Yof the timber sections -orr-planksaand arranged to lie Hush with the upper and lower surfaces and the sides of the hatch cover.. The' shoes may be secured to the body ofthe covel'bgfy"means;oillglj@Jin screws or other suitable means.

As an alternative to shoe, the end reinforcement may consist of an open-ended sleeve-like metal band. The vbox-shaped shoes or bands maybe galvanized if desired.

It lis to be understood that the shoes need not necessarily be provided.

' In the particular arrangement of hatch covers shown in the'Y drawing accompanying this specification, the reinforcement takes the form of vertically disposed plates. These plates may be of non-corrodib1e metal, galvanized metal, or `metal treated with suitable anti-corrosive preparation. The size of the plates corresponds to the' side edge superficial dimensions of the timber the box-shaped metal sections/,or planks,

ponent'parts of the cover being flush.

vThe principle of reinforcing embodied in this specification may be employed Ain the construction ofa number of small units suff ficient tojcovera hatchway, or in the formir; of units of larger sizes to cover larger: sections of a hatchway, or of one single unit, s'uiicient to' cover a whole hatchway.

It is primarily intended for the reinforcef ment to` be disposed longitudinally of the cover parallel to the' side edges thereof,but it is tov be understood that, as an alternative, the Areinforcement vmay be transyersely or diagonally disp0sed.

Embodiments ofthe invention are illus'-4 trated in the accompanying drawing, Wheren a single unit l III in Figure 1, this cross-section being the 4 modified same in the case of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section on line IV-IV in Figure 2.

Figure 'is a similar view to Figure 4 of a form of shoe that may be provided.

Figure 6 is a plan view of a modified single unit.

Figure 7 is a cross-section on line VII-VII in Figure 6.

lFigure 8`is a plan view of a double unit.

Figure 9 is a cross-section on line IX-IX in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a plan view of a modified double unit; and,

Figure 11 is a cross-section on line XI-v-XI in Fi ure 10.

Re erring to the drawing, in each construction the hatch cover consists of a number of timber planks 12 disposed in co-planar or collateral fashion side-by-side, a vertically disposed metal reinforcement plate 13 being interposed at the'joint' or at'each joint between adjacent timber planks, the supericial dimensions of said plate corresponding Y. to the side edge dimensions of the timber planks with which it has contact. The timber planks with interposed reinforcement plate or plates are united together to form a solid whole by means of galvanized bolts 14 tted with washers and nuts, said bolts being passed through transverse bores and having their heads 15 sunk into recesses in the outer edges of the timber planks, whilst the nuts 16 fitted thereon are also sunk into recesses, so that the bolts do not project bevond any surface. The reinforcement plate 13, or'each such plate provided, is disposed with its edges coincident with the top and bottom surfaces of the planks, the latter also being flush with one another.

Dowelpins, indicated by reference 17 in Figure 1. may be employed in any of the constructions illustrated as a means for correctly locating the elements of the assembly.

Suitably disposed flush lifting handles 18 of the usual form are provided. l

In the construction illustrated in Figure 1, the unit is left plain at the ends, Whilst in the Figures 2, 6, 8 and 10, protective shoes 19 are fitted over the ends of the assembly.'

the external width and depth dimensions of said shoes corresponding to those of the assembled unit, the latter accordingly being reduced at its ends in order to fit into said shoes. Thus, the shoes preserve the flush formation of the -cover surfaces.

the planks, the heads thereof being countersunk into the shoes.

It is to be understood that the invention is in no Way limited to the number of plank and reinforcement units employed, as the number thereof may be varied as desired. Further, the reinforcement, instead of being in the form of a plate, could be constituted by anyv other desired remforcement section.

l 1. A hatch cover comprising a plurality of timbers disposed in side by side relation, and bands disposed transversely across the ends of the outer side faces of the outermost timbers, said bands being countersunk into the timbers Whereb the outer faces of the bands are disposed ush with the faces of the timbers across which the bands extend.

2. A hatch cover including a plurality of timbers arranged in side by side co-planar relation, metal plates' arranged vertically between the adjacent faces of said timbers and having the edges thereof flush with the outer faces of the timbers, fastenings extending crosswise through said plates and timbers to hold the same assembled, and channelshaped members tted tothe ends of said timbers andhaving the flanges thereof flush with the surfaces of the timbers.

In testimony whereof I have afxed my signature hereto this 17th day of December,

. HARRY COCKS.

As shown by Figure '4, the shoes 19 may l have closed outer ends, or, as shown in Figure 5, their outer ends may be open so that v,inthis latter case they are simply'in. the form of. sleeves or bands encircling the plank and reinforcement components. The shoes are secured by means of screws 20 passing into 

